CNMI residents struggle without power

7:30 am on 7 August 2015

Residents in the Northern Marianas are still without electricity, five days after Typhoon Soudelor struck on Sunday night.

Over 380 homes were destroyed during the storm.

Damage on Saipan in CNMI from Typhoon Soudelor

Damage in CNMI from Typhoon Soudelor Photo: Facebook

Our correspondent Mark Rabago says the Red Cross and Federal authorities have stepped in to assist the local government.

However he says most people do not have access to generators which is proving a challenge.

"CUC, the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation, the utilities here are down. Almost 400 power poles are down so obviously they cannot generate power so in turn they cannot pump water back to the main system so the basic necessities are water, food and shelter."

The hospital says a crisis will occur if it continues to use its generators as equipment, including CT scanners cannot be used without reliable electricity.

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